Evaluation Part 2
Anjanae Brueland
Library Marketing
Evaluation Exercise Part 2: Online/Social Media Review
Using the two locations you visited in-person – now review and compare their websites and
social media efforts (such as Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest etc.). How are marketing concepts
being used? Do you see a connection between what you observed in their brick and mortar
location compared to their online efforts? How might these organizations improve their
online/social media efforts? Remember that this isn’t an assignment based on their use of
technologies but about how they are or are not using marketing concepts to discover and address
customer needs.
For the second evaluation, the author visited the Barnes and Noble and the Jefferson City Public
Library websites, and Facebook pages, to compare and contrast the marketing mix application to
these digital communication methods. The general perception of the digital presence and how
closely it mirrors the brick and mortar it represents. Each component of the marketing mix will
be touched on to see explore how it was used and where there might be room for improvement.
Barnes and Noble Website - http://www.barnesandnoble.com
The Barnes and Noble website was accessed via the free Wi-Fi connection available at the box
store. To access the internet you have to first accept the terms of agreement. But prior to getting
to these terms, the Barnes and Noble Nook is plugged. The user has to scroll down the page to
the button at the bottom to click “Continue to Wi-Fi.” Once the terms are accepted the user is
taken to the home page.
Along the top justified to the right is a menu for: Sign in, My Account, Order Status, My NOOK,
Evaluation Part 2
Anjanae Brueland
Library Marketing
Stores & Events, and Help. Underneath that are the B&N Logo left justified and in the far right
a Special Promotion. Underneath that is a basic search bar, with a drop down filter so the user
can search for Books, NOOK Books, Movies & TV, Kid’s Books, Marketplace, Rare Books, and
more. To the right of that the Shopping Cart (named the Shopping Bag). Beneath this is the
global navigation bar with 14 tabs. Along the left side, is a side bar, which is NOOK focused.
With the very bottom portion highlighting “Everyday deals.”
In the main content area is a title stating “You Are Now Connected.” Beneath that an
advertisement for the new NOOK App. Scrolling down the user is shown categories like:
Today’s Bestselling NOOK Books, Latest Issues on NOOK, New Arrivals to NOOK Apps, Hot
Titles for Kids of All Ages.
A banner runs along the bottom of the page, divided into three segments. On the far left is “Be in
the Know”, which gives the user the ability to sign up for savings, news, and updates. In the
center is “NOOK Everywhere,” which offers NOOK downloads for the iPad, iPhone, Android,
Web, and Windows 8. In the far right corner is “Keep Up with BN’s Buzz,” which are Twitter
and Facebook links for Barnes and Noble and for the NOOK.
Application of Marketing Mix:
Product – The NOOK, the Barnes and Noble electronic reader, is heavily promoted on the
homepage. Rolling over the 14 categories that make up the global navigation, produces a drop
down menu that is further broken down into Customer Favorites, Subject and Department. Some
tabs have further delineations such as Age Group, Format and Blog. Each product (book,
Evaluation Part 2
Anjanae Brueland
Library Marketing
NOOKBook, Kids, Teen, Magazine, Toy, etc.) is clearly labeled and easy to find. This mirrors
the in-store user’s experience with the shelving be clearly labeled and promotions running down
the center strip of the store. Also like the store, the website has a clean and simple design.
Price – The level of transparency that is used in the website is impressive and surprised me. Not
only does the website show you if the book is in stock and what the available formats are. It will
show you the Barnes and Noble price versus the Marketplace price.
Promotion – The ease of locating a title coupled with seeing the price for the item in differing
formats and the comparison between Barnes and Noble and the marketplace, created a larger
sense of trust. Reviews were also available and for some items the user could see a few pages of
the book. And if the user signed in, even more of the book would be available to peruse. When
looking at the item, to the right there were notifications that if another purchase was made to a
certain value, shipping would be free and other possible promotions would be available.
Place – The website allowed for full level of service as if the user was in the building and had to
order the item in. In some case more, as for some products there was the ability to look inside
the book.
People – Locating a store via the Store & Events tab is a lot more helpful than selecting help, if
your end goal is to talk with a human. The Help is FAQ links that if that does not work for the
user, then an email can be sent, once the user logs in or registers to create an account (in one
quick step).
The overall impression is of a user-friendly site that offers everything, bar the café experience,
that the brick and mortar does. It would be an awesome site, if there was an online chat feature.
But that would really need to be weighed against the cost of this feature, as I am pretty sure that
the majority of queries are quite similar: What are your hours? Do you have this item? Where are
Evaluation Part 2
Anjanae Brueland
Library Marketing
you located?
Jefferson City Public Library Website http://www.jeffcountylibraries.org/jefferson/jeffersoncity.asp
To access the Jefferson City Public Library homepage the user has to first go to the Jefferson
County Public Library System website and select the Locations tab and then the fly out Jefferson
City.
The Jefferson City Public Library Homepage has a banner photo of the four libraries across the
top of the page. There is a left hand navigation side bar with 13 tabs and in the main content area
there are links to Computer Class slides and practice sites, ABC Mouse, the JCPL Facebook
Page, Google, Yahoo and AOL links. Beneath this is the history of the Jefferson City Public
Library.
Application of Marketing Mix:
Product – There are Calendar of Events, Genealogy, Research, Legal links, Medical links,
Online Catalog/Interlibrary Loan, Young Readers, Teens, Staff, Contact Us tabs. This suggests
that these are some of the products of the library but the layout of the website and the way it
connects to the other libraries diminishes it effectiveness. The user is required to click two to
three clicks deep before actually reaching the resource being sought. There is a great deal of
redundancy on this site.
Price – There are some services that are fee based. It is a bit difficult to locate as it is back on
the county homepage in the library services side bar tab. This website is disorganized and leads
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Library Marketing
the user to believe that it is not being maintained.
Promotion – The promotions consist of simply listing items in a sidebar and a list of links. The
appearance of the website is so dated that it does not instill confidence in a user that the
information on this site will be correct.
For Place and People this website is consistent the treatment of the marketing mix. This is a
dated appearing website to the point that once the user finds it they have no real desire to get
back. There is currently no web 2.0 tools used to make this website interactive.
Overall impression, ARRRGGGHHHH! Take it down. This site actually works against the
goals and objectives of the library system. Sounds harsh, but one would think that even the
maintenance of this site takes staff time and energy that could be better used elsewhere. It is
recommended that another website be developed where decision makers discuss the marketing
mix. Since this is a library system consisting of four independent libraries, agreement needs to
be made on the overall message the library system wants to convey to the service population. If
a consistence message/appearance and brand cannot be agreed upon, it may be best to separate
the websites.
Barnes and Noble Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/barnesandnoble
Application of Marketing Mix:
Product – The products here are the authors and discussion around the actual physical products
that Barnes and Noble sells.
Price – Not Applicable, in that nothing had a price tag. Price is not mentioned here as the point
of this site is to support and excite, to create momentum around the actual products.
Evaluation Part 2
Anjanae Brueland
Library Marketing
Promotion – There were polls, questions, discussions about books, authors, books vs. movies.
Allows friends to communicate and ask questions of visiting authors. Again to reinforce the
energy and create interaction with like-minded folk and interest in products in a secondary way.
Place – Online and yet everywhere, as most phones have apps for Facebook. So the ability to
check in and participate is virtual uninhibited by time or place.
People – Here the user is connecting to other social media book-a-phils. This is all about
creating communities around a topic, a question, author or book and for the members of the
community realizing the Barnes and Nobles provided the space to make it all come together.
The overall impression is that this is an effective and engagement use of social media. Almost
every day there is a different post that can easily be participated in. Using several forms of web
2.0 like YouTube, Twitter, polling and more thus providing the user a fun and social way to learn
more about the things that already interest them.
Jefferson City Public Library Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JeffersonCityPublicLibrary
Application of Marketing Mix:
Product – In this venue the product mainly promoted is programming. Some services may be
highlighted but without repetition and strong visually it is not very effective.
Price – Again, Facebook is where a person or organization is working to create energy,
discussion and excitement (hopefully positive) regarding the message they are delivering. For
Jefferson City Public Library’s current posts it looks like the message is here’s our
programming. A few of the posts are humorous and are beginning to encourage “friends” to
Evaluation Part 2
Anjanae Brueland
Library Marketing
respond.
Promotion – General trend is a clipart visual describing the details of an upcoming program and
then after the program, photos of the event with a thanks to the community who attended.
Place – Like Barnes and Noble this is an online forum, as will “friends” to participate whenever
and wherever they are.
People – There is an effective personal touch applied to most posts and that is they are signed by
the staff and stating everyone’s names.
The overall impression of Jefferson City Public Library Facebook page is that it lacks
engagement. There is a real opportunity in using the page more to encourage interaction and
response to what is being posted. Think about the library brand, how can each of the Jefferson
City Public posts, support this brand? Sharing the activities, events and collections of the library
is important but in this venue, get your “friends” talking about them. One was to do this is to
post every day; post something library industry related, and occasionally ask your friends their
thoughts. Use the scheduling feature so a week at a time can be set up.
Barnes and Noble has a Twitter presence @BNBuzz. Their Facebook page and website promote
their twitter account. This account gives Barnes and Noble another way to connect with
customers.
Jefferson City Public Library participates in no other social media.
The Barnes and Noble digital and social media presence is much stronger and more effective
than the Jefferson City Public Library’s. That said, it has the ability to hire the trained marketing
Evaluation Part 2
Anjanae Brueland
Library Marketing
professional, and web designer whose sole responsibilities are those sites. The library has no
dedicated IT personnel or professional training in either marketing or web design. The good
thing is that means there is great opportunity for the library…and or library system.